“He and Kyrie had melted down completely” Skip Bayless believes Kevin Durant already had given up on Nets before the playoffs
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Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant and Skip Bayless
Brooklyn Nets were top contenders for the 2022 NBA championship,with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving on the team. but at the end of the season, they crashed out in the 1st round against Boston Celtics. The NBA world was shocked by the clean sweep and made the Celtics huge favorites in the playoffs. Little did they know was something back at the Nets had a huge part playing in their loss. KD, in particular, had a hint of it, and even mentioned it to Mike James. After the conclusion of the 2022 season and hearing the comments made by KD, Skip Bayless feels the same way.
Skip Bayless believes Kevin Durant held a ‘give up attitude’ in his series against Boston. He cited recent reports of comments from the Brooklyn star regarding Brooklyn’s postseason to support his position. Bayless said, “[Kevin Durant] and Kyrie had melted down completely, they had gone splitsville”
Skip targeting Kyrie’s attitude continued, “He (KD) was sick and tired of the way Kyrie was operating. Kyrie wouldn’t get the vaccination, he was destroying the team. I think the whole lot was going on behind the scenes that made Kevin believe we don’t have a chance against a team like Boston Celtics.”
This would be the first time that Skip sided with any of the superstars, while he still thrashes another one.
Did Kyrie Irving really destroy the Brooklyn Nets’ dream of winning the championship with Kevin Durant?
2019 was a great off-season for Brooklyn Nets as they landed two of the greatest scorers in the league in one trade window. Kevin Durant and Kyrie’s pairing was deadly on paper and gave the Nets a huge shot for their 1st NBA title. They added some important pieces around the pair, and 2022 was supposed to be their year with fit Kyrie and KD playing for the team. But it didn’t look as deadly a combination on the floor as it was on the paper.
Well, the team might be strong on paper, but to win games and series you need to have great team chemistry also. Lack of team chemistry and commitment towards the franchise cost them 3 seasons, millions of salary, and worst of hampered their image in the league too. And as per many reports, Kyrie Irving was singled out for the sour relations within the franchise.
James Harden was a great addition to the Nets, for which the franchise sacrificed their host of future picks, but in just 13 months, he left the franchise and was traded for another “non-playing” All-Star. The reason behind the former scoring champions’ exit was rumored to be the treatment he received from fellow guard Kyrie Irving.
Irving, individually also didn’t contribute much to the franchise. Yes, when he was on the floor, he did all he can to win the games, but the issue was his availability only. He played just 103 games for the Nets, winning 56% of the games. While the ‘seven-eleven’ pair won 61% of games for the team, it was not what was expected from a team of that magnitude.
Very recently, 2-time NBA Champion Kevin Durant requested a trade away from the franchise, and again Kyrie was held responsible for the same. Kyrie Irving, after all the ‘negative’ impact in 3 seasons, opted into his player option instead of signing a lower value – extended contract, just like Harden is doing at the 76ers. The move from KD read like he not only wanted away from the Nets but also Kyrie Irving himself.
Well if all those reports are considered and analyzed correctly, we might have an answer to the question. As of now, though Kyrie and KD would be competing for the title with the Nets only.
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Kunal Chawda
(600 Articles Published)